The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

First do no harm

Thanks to J.B. Bouchard for attempting to salvage my political incorrectness (letter in last week’s Eagle), but the actual muddled insinuation was committed by Virginia’s Governor Ralph Northam on national media as he opined that a baby surviving an abortion attempt would then be comforted and resuscitated while mother and doctor discuss disposition of the baby (probably by the Kermit Gosnell method rather than a Jonathan Swift fricassee).

Some states are moving to get permissive legislation on the books in anticipation of the possible demise of Roe v. Wade in which case refereeing of reproductive choices will revert to state oversight. There is no problem with considering a woman’s health or survival at late term; the rub lies in the inclusion of “mental and emotional health” which is a euphemism for “inconvenience,” and comes from a couple of mush-minded generations dancing to the drumbeat of philosophers like Foucoult, Derrida, and Hugh Hefner. Welcome to the wonderful world of post-modern moral relativism!

Another area of collateral damage is doctors themselves who have been coerced toward violating one of the major promises of the Hippocratic Oath, “first do no harm,” as well as religion-based medical and child care agencies that have been forced to abandon their principles or close up shop.

And, we must allay the police state fears expressed in J.D.’s closing cringe: Our own fledgling police state has not yet threatened to kill our babies (or mothers); only made moves toward stealing our guns, causing an OK Corral showdown between our valiant Sheriff Howie and an apoplectic attorney general and hysterical governor. Rest easy, you’re in good hands.